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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24688339">Betrothal Practices</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobraOnTheCob/pseuds/CobraOnTheCob'>CobraOnTheCob</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zutara Month 2018 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Prompt: Necklace, Zutara Month 2018, anyways enjoy!, haha here I am two years late, necklace, no beta we just perish, with this poorly stitched together fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:06:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>916</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24688339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobraOnTheCob/pseuds/CobraOnTheCob</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The two discuss Southern Water Tribe and Fire Nation betrothal practices.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zutara Month 2018 [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1201402</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>118</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Betrothal Practices</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It was originally going to be on the Southern Water Tribe's practices, but I couldn't figure out how to end it with that, so I did the Fire Nation and then I couldn't figure out how to end it so I just ended it with another topic rip.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The Southern Water Tribe doesn’t do betrothal necklaces,” Zuko said out of the blue. Katara blinked down at him, jolted out of the calm reverie she was in from a relaxing afternoon sitting next to the pond with Zuko’s head resting in her lap.</p><p>	“Correct. Want to know what we do instead?” Katara asked, a smile dancing on her lips.</p><p>	“I’m curious, if I marry you, I want to do it properly,” Zuko said, “I mean, once, you know…”</p><p>	“I know, I know, the Council is putting pressure on you to get us married,” Katara said.</p><p>	“They keep acting like we’re going to drop dead at any minute!” Zuko burst out, “I just turned 23, can they stop acting like I’m going to up and die?”</p><p>	“Considering our track record with assassination attmepts, probably,” Katara said grimly. Zuko sighed.</p><p>	“I just wanted to ask about marriage traditions and somehow we make it into a conversation about dying,” he murmured. Katara chuckled and gently kissed his forehead. </p><p>	“Well, like you said, we don’t do betrothal necklaces. It’s a little too...claimy.” Katara said.</p><p>	“Yeah, like putting a collar on someone, but just for one gender. Kind of raises a few brows.” Zuko said.</p><p>	“Well, if it makes you feel better, the Southern Water Tribe’s betrothal tradition is giving their significant other a stone that represents them. And that’s only step one.”</p><p>	“Step one?”</p><p>	“That’s the proposal stage,” Katara began, “Then there’s the next stage - proving your worth. Both people need to prove that they are capable of caring for each other’s needs. In times of war, the proposal stage of giving each other a stone is skipped over in favor of more practical gifts.”</p><p>	“Makes sense,” Zuko said, “So, what does one have to do to prove themselves worthy of being married?”</p><p>	“All Southern Water Tribe men have gone through their rite of passage of ice-dodging, but I don’t know what it’ll look like for non-Southern Water Tribe men. There hasn’t been an interracial marrage in a long time, so any ritual concerning outsiders has been forgotten.”</p><p>	“Is there anything else?”</p><p>	“Well, both have to prove themselves as capable hunters and providers, and with the current mindset, both men and women have to prove themselves able to hunt, cook, clean, and sew,” Katara added on.</p><p>	“I feel like there’s a lot more coming,” Zuko said.</p><p>	“Well, ever since the war ended, we’ve been able to focus on reviving old traditions, and one of those was tattoos,” Katara said, “During the war, taking the time to get inked took too much valuable time - time that could be spent training or preparing for the inevitable attack.”</p><p>	“That makes sense,” Zuko said.</p><p>	“So, with all those traditions, you really want me?” Katara asked. </p><p>	“I would take a comet-enhanced lightning bolt for you a thousand times, of course I would want to honor your culture,” Zuko said with a grin.</p><p>	“I love you,” Katara said, leaning in to kiss him.</p><p>	“Love you more,” Zuko whispered. Katara rolled her eyes and closed the gap between themselves. After a few moments, Katara pulled away.</p><p>	“So...what does the Fire Nation do?” </p><p>	“We don’t have as complex or symbolic of a ritual, that’s for sure,” Zuko said, “It depends on how rich you are, really.”</p><p>	“You’re royalty, what are you going to do? Shower each other in gold dust or something?” Katara asked teasingly. </p><p>	“Come on, we’re not that extravagant, are we?” Zuko playfully whined.</p><p>	“Compared to how practical our ceremonies are, yes,” Katara said, pecking his nose.</p><p>	“You have a point,” Zuko said, “Noble classes tend to go over the top with these kinds of things. Often, it’s a bunch of agreements passed around and then the gifts begin to flow. The more noble the people, the more extravagant the gifts get.”</p><p>	“Oh dear,” Katara said, “Would they accept practical gifts, such as weapons?”</p><p>	“Personally, I don’t mind, but since we are royalty, the Fire Sages are going to get very analytical and they do hold onto the superstition of sending sharp weapons means you’re cutting off a relationship or something like that,” Zuko said, then continued, “Shoes, don’t send shoes.”</p><p>	“Why not?”</p><p>	“Because it might mean you’re trying to walk away from this,” Zuko said.</p><p>	“Oh that’s...you’re not joking,” Katara said. </p><p>	“Yeah, I’m not,” Zuko said, “But I think they’d be fine with anything else.”</p><p>	“If they’re going to get superstitious over wedding gifts, why didn’t they jump on us when you gave me those daggers?” </p><p>	“Oh believe me, they went nuts. I told them to be polite.”</p><p>	“My stress levels thank you,” Katara said, “So it looks like the Southern Water Tribe will have to send something that’s not...a weapon or a piece of footwear. Any other superstition I should be aware of?”</p><p>	“No, I think that’s it,” Zuko said after thinking hard for a moment, “You uh, want to get dinner somewhere that’s not in the palace?”</p><p>	“Oh definitely,” Katara said, “How about the hawker stands?”</p><p>	“Yes!” Zuko said enthusiastically, and both quickly slipped away from the garden to tell the kitchens of their plan for the evening. The chefs nodded, and wished them a fun time. Grinning, the young couple donned cloaks and slipped out of the palace and into the evening.</p><p>	It’s rare to have a truly private moment outside the palace, and with the future looking to be under the spotlight, they both would try and sneak around for a little anonymity whenever they can.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so anyways that's like my barebones headcanons for the SWT and FN's betrothal practices. And the two superstitions I mentioned in this fic are Chinese superstitions and I thought it'd be funny if the Fire Sages went all superstitious over betrothal gifts.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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